This invention relates to an absorption air-conditioning system which uses an absorption cold/hot water device as an outdoor unit, and a fan coil unit or an air handling unit as an indoor unit.
In a conventional apparatus, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2-213659, when the operation of an absorption refrigerator is stopped, a cooling medium circulating pump, a solution circulating pump, a cold water pump and a cooling water pump are operated to perform a dilution operation immediately in order to prevent the crystallization of a solution.
In the above conventional apparatus, when the operation of the absorption refrigerator is stopped, indoor air-conditioners cannot be stopped immediately, because the cold/hot water pump, the cooling water pump, the cooling medium circulating pump and the solution circulating pump are operated so that the cooling medium can be evaporated and absorbed in the solution, thereby effecting the dilution. Thus, after the cooling or heating operation in rooms is stopped, the indoor air-conditioners continue to operate wastefully. This unnecessary extended air-conditioning operation adversely affects peoples comfort in the rooms. In addition, the dilution of the solution is effected immediately after the operation of the absorption refrigerator is stopped, and therefore when the apparatus is required to operate again after a certain period of time from stopping the operation, it takes much time to resume the air-conditioning. That is because the dilution of the solution is already completed in order for the apparatus to resume operation, the solution must be changed to its concentrated form again.